Name: BEST LEMONY PASTA
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 300 g Spaghetti; 4 Lemons; 75 ml Double cream (heavy cream); 40 ml Olive oil; ½ tsp Red pepper flakes; 30 g Vegetarian parmesan cheese; Fresh basil leaves (optional); Salt and pepper (to taste)

Light and refreshing with the most intense silky lemon flavor that is so tasty. When we serve guests our lemon pasta, they take one mouthful and say ‘”oh wow, this is amazing” and they’re right. This zesty creamy lemon pasta dish is so good and it’s SO easy to make.

Close up of lemon pasta with al dente spaghetti, covered in parmesan cheese.

Why you’ll love this recipe

It’s super quick to make, 5 minutes prep and 10 minutes to cook.

Lemon pasta is great as a main meal or as a side dish on a buffet.

You can use any pasta you have in your store cupboard.

Put it on a serving platter for a buffet and watch how fast it goes!

We’ve taken pasta al limone, a traditional Italian recipe, and put our tasty vegetarian twist on it.

Ingredients for making lemon pasta from scratch, fresh basil, veggie parmesan cheese, heavy cream, lemon, freshly ground black pepper,, kosher salt, red pepper flakes and spaghetti.

What’s the best pasta to use for this dish?

We’ve used spaghetti for this pasta recipe, but you could use pretty much any pasta you like.

The delicate lemon flavor would suit angel hair pasta

Our delicious recipe is quick and easy to make, ideal for unexpected guests and the zesty lemon garnish brightens any table!

A bowl of freshly made lemon pasta, with a parmesan cheese grater and a fresh lemon.

What are the best lemons to use?

If you really want to do your lemon pasta justice, then the best lemons to use are Italian lemons.

Sorrento lemons and Sicilian lemons are fabulous if you can get your hands on them, they make the most delicious lemon juice and lemon zest.

Failing that, just use any fresh lemons you can find.

A lemon on a board, with it's skin removed by a lemon zester, the zesty lemon brightens up the dark chopping board.

Do I have to use fresh lemon juice?

Yes, 100% yes.

Fresh ingredients are always the best ingredients.

Our lemon pasta recipe is all about the fresh lemon flavor, you simply can’t get this from a bottle of store-bought lemon juice.

The lemon juice only takes moments to make, so why wouldn’t you?

You also need fresh lemon zest which is another good vital reason to use fresh lemons, just make sure you make you zest your lemons before making your lemon juice!

Is this gluten free?

It certainly can be, just use gluten-free pasta!

Do I have to use heavy cream?

No, you don’t, you could use the pasta water.

If you still want creamy lemon pasta sauce you could use milk instead of pasta water.

Close up of a freshly made bowl of lemon pasta with parmesan cheese, chopped basil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.

What should I serve this with?

Garlic bread or Italian crusty bread would be perfect.

A Caprese salad or green salad with balsamic vinaigrette would be a light alternative to bread.

If you want a fantastic pre-dinner cocktail to serve with your lemon pasta then try our limoncello spritz or lemon drop martini.

Both of which are made using limoncello which is an Italian liqueur made from lemons from Sorrento, on the Amalfi coast and is delicious.

How do I store lemon pasta?

You can make your lemon pasta ahead and store it in an airtight container in the fridge and it will keep for up to 3 days.

We think it’s delicious cold, but you could heat it, just put a drop or two of olive oil in the pan, heat stirring occasionally until it’s at the desired temperature.

Recipe notes and tips

Want to make lemon pasta even quicker?
Cook the pasta the night before and store it in the fridge in a Ziploc bag along with a little olive oil to stop it sticking together, then just heat it up in the sauce the next day.
Out of fresh basil?
Use fresh parsley instead.
Want lemon garlic pasta?
Mince two cloves of garlic and hey presto, you have lemon garlic pasta!

A pot of homemade lemon pasta with red pepper flakes and fresh lemons.

How to make lemon pasta with step-by-step instructions

Making our lemon pasta recipe is simple if you follow our easy instructions.

A full printable version of this great recipe with all ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, cook it according to package directions, stirring occasionally.

You always want to cook pasta al dente, so it’s cooked but still firm when you bite into it.

Process shots for making lemon pasta recipe add heavy cream, lemon juice and red pepper flakes.

While the pasta is cooking, whisk together lemon juice, heavy cream (double cream), olive oil, red pepper flakes, vegetarian parmesan cheese, and lemon zest.

Process shots for making lemon pasta recipe add olive oil, vegetarian parmesan and lemon zest.

When the pasta is cooked, drain it but keep roughly 55 grams-¼ cup of pasta water.

Return the cooked pasta to the pot and add in your lemon sauce, and, on medium heat, heat the pasta and lemon sauce, stirring constantly.

Process shots for making lemon pasta recipe combine, add al dente spaghetti, toss in creamy lemon pasta sauce and heat on medium heat.

Add a little of the pasta water to the sauce and keep adding a little at a time until you get the pasta sauce to the consistency that you prefer.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve in bowls and garnish with finely grated parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves.

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More easy pasta recipes for you to enjoy

One pot pink pasta sauce – surely this isn’t vegan? Yep, it is! With a cheesy, smoky bacon flavor this is super delicious!

Easy cheesy pasta al forno – cheesy baked pasta is the perfect vegetarian comfort food and doesn’t last long in our house!

Quick mushroom pasta – In 25 minutes you’ll have this creamy, umami filled pasta dish on the table!

Pasta alla Sorrentina – sweet, juicy, ripe tomatoes in a simple tomato, garlic and mozzarella sauce – absolutely delicious!

Pasta alla Norma – a favorite pasta recipe in our house, cheesy, creamy roasted eggplant with rigatoni that’s a real crowd pleaser!

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